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Volume 19
Issue 14
10.3390/ma19142965
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy Substrate Material Using Wire-Laser Directed Energy Deposition Assisted with Liquid Nitrogen Cooling

by
Fawu Xiang
1,2,3,4,
Ruihao Zhang
3,4,
Tingqing Cheng
1,2,
Likun Yang
4,
Hui Gao
4,
Yingying Huang
4,
Haihe Jiang
1,2,* and
Jiangang Wang
3,4,*
1
Science Island Branch, Graduate School of USTC, Hefei 230026, China
2
Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China
3
HGTECH Co., Ltd., Wuhan 430223, China
4
HG Laser Engineering Co., Ltd., Wuhan 430075, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Materials 2026, 19(14), 2965; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19142965
Submission received: 28 May 2026 / Revised: 19 June 2026 / Accepted: 26 June 2026 / Published: 9 July 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Al/Mg/Cu Alloys and Their Composites: Welding, Additive Manufacturing, Heterogeneous Microstructures, and Mechanical Properties—Second Edition)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Heat accumulation during wire-laser directed energy deposition (WL-DED) may cause the thermal softening of thin aluminum alloy substrates. In this study, a liquid nitrogen-assisted cooling platform was introduced to regulate the substrate temperature during WL-DED of a 6061 aluminum alloy substrate with 5356 aluminum alloy wire. The results show that substrate cooling can mitigate substrate softening, and −100 °C provides improved substrate-bottom hardness while maintaining acceptable bonding quality. The hardness variation is discussed in relation to reduced thermal exposure, grain-size variation, recrystallization behavior, and the possible retention of strengthening phases. This work establishes a preliminary basis for tailoring the local properties of thin aluminum alloy substrates in WL-DED. Since the substrate is not removed, but forms an integrated component of the final assembly along with the deposited material, its properties are critical to component performance. This integrated approach also enhances material utilization and streamlines production by eliminating substrate separation steps.
Keywords: coaxial wire-laser system; additive manufacturing; aluminum alloy; liquid nitrogen cooling coaxial wire-laser system; additive manufacturing; aluminum alloy; liquid nitrogen cooling

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Xiang, F.; Zhang, R.; Cheng, T.; Yang, L.; Gao, H.; Huang, Y.; Jiang, H.; Wang, J. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy Substrate Material Using Wire-Laser Directed Energy Deposition Assisted with Liquid Nitrogen Cooling. Materials 2026, 19, 2965. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19142965

AMA Style

Xiang F, Zhang R, Cheng T, Yang L, Gao H, Huang Y, Jiang H, Wang J. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy Substrate Material Using Wire-Laser Directed Energy Deposition Assisted with Liquid Nitrogen Cooling. Materials. 2026; 19(14):2965. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19142965

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xiang, Fawu, Ruihao Zhang, Tingqing Cheng, Likun Yang, Hui Gao, Yingying Huang, Haihe Jiang, and Jiangang Wang. 2026. "Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy Substrate Material Using Wire-Laser Directed Energy Deposition Assisted with Liquid Nitrogen Cooling" Materials 19, no. 14: 2965. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19142965

APA Style

Xiang, F., Zhang, R., Cheng, T., Yang, L., Gao, H., Huang, Y., Jiang, H., & Wang, J. (2026). Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy Substrate Material Using Wire-Laser Directed Energy Deposition Assisted with Liquid Nitrogen Cooling. Materials, 19(14), 2965. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19142965

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